


Bit of a Theme

by Cuppatea13



Series: The Stories of Arlie [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Brothers and Sisters - Freeform, Conviction - Freeform, Gen, Interlude, Missing Scene, family moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 07:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3373382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuppatea13/pseuds/Cuppatea13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, Arlie & Phil have met- what do they talk about when Clint leaves them alone? (Main story is: Reliant, this is an interlude.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bit of a Theme

**Author's Note:**

> So I've got another interlude for you! Now I've got in my version, Phil constantly going on about "conviction." One, because I adored that line in the movie, and two, because he seems the sort of guy who really got behind things like that. And, if you look at the people he surrounded himself with: they were people of great conviction. So I've got my version of Phil in his fatherly manner discussing this with both Bartons and even Natasha when she shows up.
> 
> So another interlude (yay)!
> 
> Please review!

**May 18th, 2005 (Arlie)**

"I don't remember anything of it, but Clint does," I tell this Phil person who seems to have won over my brother's loyalty.

"What makes you say that?"

"We lived in the same orphanage for about two years after the crash, before we got shuffled around and split up. And practically every night while we were there, Clint and I would climb into bed with each other and Clint would have nightmares. He'd wake up and he'd immediately look for me. He'd stare at me for a solid minute or two before his breathing finally slowed down and when I was little I didn't really understand it, but I didn't question it either. I just thought it was a thing Clint did. Now I realize he was having nightmares about me in the crash. And about a week ago, when he first found me, he gave me the same look he used to whenever he woke up from the nightmares of the crash, except it lasted about ten times longer. And two nights ago when he crashed at my place, I woke up when he came in to check on me. He gave me the look then too."

"You sure?"

"I'm not sure what happened during that crash. I know it was because of a drunk driver, but that's because the people in charge would tell each other that. Clint- he remembers." I used to listen to the grown ups talk about me: trying to find out what happened because I didn't know. But Clint would pull me away like he didn't want me to hear and would tell me stories about mom and dad instead. Looking back, I know that crash haunts Clint. Maybe someday he'd talk to me about it, maybe he never will. But Clint will keep me safe and I'll keep him safe so it won't matter. We're together now and it might not be the reunion I'd imagined as a little girl (there was no Barney, there was no house with a dog for the three of us to live in together, and we weren't playing together all day long) but it was perfect enough with Clint being there and still loving me.

Phil sighs, "He'll be OK in the end though."

"How do you know?" I ask. It wasn't that I disagreed with the man- I just wanted to know why he seemed so utterly certain in this. For Agent Phil Coulson, this was fact. I wanted to understand.

"Conviction."

"What now?"

"When I first brought your brother to SHIELD, it was because I told him I could give him conviction."

"Conviction's a bit of a theme with you then."

"I guess you could put it like that. I just think that the best, the greatest people- ones with the most potential- have it."

"Like Captain America?"

He almost blushes, I swear. "Ah- so Clint told you about that."

"Yeah. But- back to the point. Conviction?"

He nods once. Firmly. "Conviction."

I start thinking about Clint, about conviction, about them separately and together.

"I don't have conviction in a lot of things. I don't believe people are really naturally good- I think Clint is, but I think Clint might be the exception to every rule. I think everyone has to work at being good. Maybe, what you call conviction is what I consider to be innate goodness. Or maybe I'm bitter."

"No- conviction is more than just being a good person. It's utter belief in something. Unfailing belief in the right thing."

"Clint."

"What about him?"

"I don't have a lot of conviction myself, but I have it in Clint. I think anyone would have it in Clint if they just look at him. He's the best person I know. When we were kids and still together right after our parents died, Clint asked some of the older girls at the orphanage to teach him to braid hair so he could do my hair for me in the morning like our mother used to. I don't remember my mom doing my hair- but I remember Clint braiding my pigtails for me. He always looks out for me. He went through my entire apartment complex and investigated all of my neighbors and generally annoyed me but he did it because he wants me safe. He's always looked out for me though. I can remember whenever I would get hurt as a kid- scrapped knees, stubbed toe, anything, I'd run to Clint and he'd just…fix it. He fixed everything for me. Even before our parents died he was that way. Barney," I gulp, still a bit sore over Barney and all he's done, "I can remember him two ways: before and after the crash. Clint has always been the same. He's my constant. I can count on him to always take care of me, not because I need him to, but simply because he can't  _not_  look out for me. He even goes through my fridge to make sure I'm eating my vegetables! If there is one thing in this world I'm willing to believe in with absolute certainty, one thing I can promise myself will never change- it's Clint."

"I have never met someone with more conviction," says Phil softly, and I can tell it's the greatest compliment he can give someone, "and a lot of that comes from you, I think."

"Me?"

"You."

"What do you think that means then?"

"It means that if there is one thing in this world Clint's willing to believe in with absolute certainty, one thing your brother can promise himself will never change- it's you."

"Huh. So that's conviction."

"Yup."

"I can see why you think this is what makes people great."

"It certainly helps," he returns dryly.

"Do you think he's ordered more than one pizza? Because he's taking  _forever_."


End file.
